Cost of living in Romania – 2015

Rent 400 Euro, 2 rooms next to airport i am actully trying to move http://www.inchirieriapartamente.com/li … t-2-rooms/ (it is 450 there because that site has a markup)

Food 250 euro
Internet 10 euro
TV 10 euro
Gas 6 lei (1.2 euro)
Cinema 20 Lei
House insurance 57 Euro/year

good

If you need anything else i would be delighted to help

> accommodation prices - I got a really good deal. I pay 1000 lei monthly for a 2 rooms (its around 70sq m). Its located in sector 2 and the furniture is not new but its not old either.

> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc.)-  I would say that an average of a bus/metro/tram is 1,5 lei. A taxi usually charges 10-15 lei for a 10 minute trip.

> food prices (your monthly budget) - 800 for two can buy you all you need.

> health prices (for those who need medical insurance) - I actually have no idea and I would like to know your feedback. I would like to have a private insurance.

> energy prices (oil, electricity) - 50-60 lei during the winter.

> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone) - Internet tv and phone are 70 (I have a bundle). Mobile phone is 20 euros but can be as cheap as 5 per month.

> price for a good menu in a traditional restaurant - 20 lei if you go don't get close to the center of the city. In the center of the city at a regular restaurant expect to pay at least 50 lei.

> price for a coffee or a drink - 7-12 lei.

Our experience is a bit different, as we are a large family and are purposefully not living according to U.S. standards, where we come from. We live in Bucharest, Sector 5 (Rahova neighborhood, one of the "poorest" neighborhoods). We are a married couple with 5 children.

> accommodation prices : we rent an apartment in a villa that is 3 rooms, but quite large and with a shared courtyard at 250 Euro/monthly.

> public transportation fares (tube, bus etc.) : my husband buys an unlimited bus/tram/trolley pass for 50 RON/monthly, and I use about 20 RON/monthly.

> food prices (your monthly budget) for a family of 7, we have to have a low budget of about 1200 RON/monthly, but we eat a lot of fruit/veggies from the piata and bread from the corner shop, and meat only a couple of times/weekly.

> health prices (for those who need medical insurance) : we pay per visit. When I gave birth last year at Sanador private hospital, we paid about 4800 RON, but that was because we didn't have the state insurance, and had received a 1000 RON discount.

> energy prices (oil, electricity): oil is cheap in 3 seasons, but in winter, it was about 600 RON for the coldest months. When we lived in the blocks, it was cheaper. Electricity is about 80 RON, and water about 120 RON/monthly.

> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone) We share internet/cable/trash with neighbors, so it's a combined 60 RON/monthly. I use only about 5 Euro monthly for phone, but my husband 20 Euro. We have no landline.

> price for a good menu in a traditional restaurant: about 20-30 RON is a good price for a nice meal per person.

> price for a coffee or a drink: 7-12 RON

> price for cinema tickets : If you go to Light Cinema in Rahova on Mon/Tues, it's only 12 RON, but otherwise, prices are around 20-25 RON each.

Hello

I am a single parent with two small children living in a 1 bedroom apartment in Bucharest, Sector 2.

Our monthly expenses are more or less as follows:

> accommodation: 2500 RON 

> public transportation fares: 25 RON (we walk A LOT)

> food prices: 600 RON

> health prices: 150 RON (on average, paid cash for pharmacy, dentist and bribes ... Yip!  Our doctor asks for money even though my children are Romanian. I am still looking for an alternative without any luck)

> education prices: 2340 RON (total for two children after 10% sibling discount. This is at a Romanian "private" crèche.)

> energy prices (electricity): +/- 100 RON

> common bills (Internet, television, telephone, mobile phone):  +/- 100 RON (includes overseas phone calls)

> price for a good menu in a traditional restaurant: We can only afford a McDonalds happy meal. We normally spend 25 RON for two happy meals and a chocolate muffin and we probably only go once a month.

> water, heating, bloc administration:  +/- 300 RON per month. It was more before my first complaint but I STILL have disputes with this and am unable to resolve it due to language barriers. (I digress)

Anybody reading this and has a notion that foreigners/expats are "rich", please think again. We all have our struggles, particularly financially and I hope that I am able to enlighten people who believe we should be cheated because we can afford it. The truth is, some of us, cannot!

Thank you all for sharing all this information on the forum. It's really great.

Shaazia
Expat.com Team